I: Don't you know the story of Ka'b, my friend? It is one of the most
effective stories which will help your child stop lying.
My friend: How?
I: Stories have a profoundimpact on changing bad behavior into upright
behavior, and even adults themselves love to listen to stories and
doing so can often change their lives. Thus, Allaah The Almighty
relates a number of stories in His noble Book for us to derive lessons
from and to be motivatedto change our wrong behavior. My friend, tell
me: Don't you like to listen to stories?
My friend: Yes, you are right. I love to listen to the stories that
the Khateeb (preacher) relates in the Friday Khutbah (sermon), and
they often cause many things in my life to change. By the way, whatis
the story of Ka'b? Do you think that it will helpmy children to stop
telling lies?
I: Of course, but you must narrate it in an interesting, exciting, and
simple way which at the same time accomplishes the needed goals in
every stage of the story. Perhaps we hear many stories, but they do
not attract our attention or change our behavior because the narrator
relates them in an incorrect manner. The narrator may be engagedin
exciting and motivating the audiences, yet he forgets to focus on the
aims of the story. On the other hand, another narrator may focus too
much on the aims of the story and highlighting its lessons without
excitement or motivation. Moderation is optimum in all cases.
My friend (smiling): Stop exciting me, my friend, and relate the story
of Ka'b to me!
I (smiling): No, I will teachyou how to relate it.
My friend sat down listening attentively to the story and pondering on it.
Father: Do you know the story of Ka'b?
Son: Who is Ka'b, Dad?
Father: Do you not know who Ka'b ibn Maalik is, my son?
Son (attentively): No, I don't. Father, please tell me his story.
Father: Ok, I will tell you. My son, Ka'b ibn Maalik was one of the
Companions of the Prophet, .
Son: What was his story?
Father: He was the Companion whose truthfulness saved him from the
punishment of Allaah The Almighty.
Son: How?
Father: In the Battle of Tabook, Allaah The Almighty wanted to test
the believers by asking them to go out for Jihaad (armed struggle).
However, joining the Prophet, , in this battlewas so difficult. Do you
know why, son?
Son: Why was it difficult, Dad?
Father: It was a long journey, the weather wasvery hot, and the fruits
were ready to harvest. Everyone would love to sit in the shade and
enjoyeating the fruits. Going out for Jihaad at that moment was a
command from Allaah The Almighty to ward off the enemies and fight the
polytheists who did not like Islam.
Son: What did the people do, Dad?
Father: The true believers set forth with the Prophet, , because they
sought martyrdom to enter Paradise, while the hypocrites lagged
behind.
Son: Who were the hypocrites, Dad?
Father (after a long sigh): Son, the hypocrites are the evilest of
people – may Allaah save us from hypocrisy. The hypocritesare the
liars who say and do what they do not believe.
Son (alertly): How is that, Dad?
Father: The hypocrites told lies to the Prophet, . Each one made up
anexcuse and told a lie to the Prophet, , in order to evade going out
for Jihaad .
Son (amazed): What did the Prophet, , do with them?
Father: The Prophet, , did not judge them for their intentions but for
their apparent actions and he accepted their excuses.
Son (carefully): Why did the Prophet, , not expose their reality?
Father: Because Allaah The Almighty postponed their punishment till
the Day of Judgment, my son,and how severe the punishment of a liar on
the Day of Judgment will be! You must have heard of the Quranic verse
(thatmeans): } So who is more unjust than one who lies about Allaah. {
[Quran 39:32] Also, you must know that the Prophet, , said, "The sign
of the hypocrite is that he tells lies when he speaks."
Son (attentively): What is the connection between Ka'ab ibn Maalik and
all of that?
Father: My son, Ka'ab ibn Maalik did not tell a lie.
Son: How?
Father: When Ka'b ibn Maalik went to the Prophet, , the Prophet,
sallallaahu 'alayhi was sallam , asked him: "Why did you not join us,
Ka'b?" Ka'b was certain that Allaah The Almighty sees him and knows
what is in his heart. He realized that he might get out of this
situation, but he would not be saved from the punishment of Allaah
TheAlmighty on the Day of Judgment. At this moment, Ka'b ibn Maalik
said to himself, "By Allaah, I will tell the truth."
Son: What did he say to the Prophet, ?
Father: He said, "O Messenger of Allaah, I didnot have any excuse and
I was able to go out with you." He told him the truth, son.
The son (excited): What was the reply of the Prophet ?
Father: The Prophet, , said: "This man has told the truth. Go away
till Allaah decides on your matter."
Son: What happened, Dad?
Father (sadly): My son, imagine! The Prophet, , ordered the Companions
to shun Ka'b ibn Maalik and none of them talked with him. Imagine,
nobody spoke to him for fifty days to the extent that Ka'b was walking
in the streets and greeting people, but nobody returned his greeting.
Even his closest relative, his cousin, did not return his Salaam when
Ka'b offered it.
Son (amazed): Why was all of that? Did he not tell the truth, Dad?
Father: Allaah The Almighty was testing him,son, in order to see
whether or not he wouldkeep firm on his truthfulness despite these
pressures.
Son: Did Ka'b ibn Maalik remain firm, Dad?
Father: Yes, my son. Ka'b remained firm on his truthfulness till
Allaah The Almighty accepted his repentance and revealed Quranic
verses to be recited concerning him.
Son: What did Allaah The Almighty reveal concerning him, dad?
Father: Fetch the Mus-haf (copy of the Quran), son. Let me read the
verse for you. (The child brings the Mus-haf and the father opens it
at Surat At-Tawbah and starts reading the verses.)
Father: Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): } And [He also Forgave]
the three who were left behind [and regretted their error] to the
point that the earth closed in on them in spiteof its vastness and
their souls confined them and they were certain that there is no
refuge from Allaah except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could
repent. Indeed, Allaah is the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful. {
[Quran 9:118]) Do you know what Allaah The AlmightySays after this
verse, son?
Son: What does Allaah The Almighty say, Dad?
Father: Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): } O you who
havebelieved, fear Allaah and be with those who are true. { [Quran
9:119]
Son: Did people talk to Ka'b after that, Dad?
Father: Yes, they did. Ka'b returned to Allaah TheAlmighty with
stronger faith and promised AllaahThe Almighty not to say anything but
the truth. The truth was the thing that saved him, whereas Allaah The
Almighty disclosed the reality of the hypocrites in His Book and they
will taste a painful torment on the Day of Judgment. Now, son, let us
make an unbreakable promise with Allaah The Almighty not to tell lies
ever.
Son: I promise Allaah The Almighty not to tell lies ever.
Father: Whatever the circumstances might be?
Son: Whatever the circumstances might be!
Father: Well done, son. Besure that truthfulness brings about
salvation even if it apparently involves destruction.
At this moment, my friend said: Excuse me! Let me go home to tell my
child the story of Ka'b before he goes to sleep. Assalaamu alaykum.
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